Work Text:
Erik had been briefed by first Logan, then his new employer's sister. Well, strictly speaking, the sister was his employer, even if it was her brother's name on the paperwork. The briefing, however, meant that he kept his mind quite, at ease - in deference to the man he was meeting being a telepath. It wasn't all that hard for him to do. Erik had learned the way of the world doing covert work, as a freelancer, as a government operative, private operative. You name it, Erik had done it and made a name for himself in the right circles.
And more than a few of the wrong ones as well.
One of his old partners, Logan, had contacted him and told him that what he had to offer, Erik would probably turn down, but Logan was going to ask anyway. Mostly because he knew Erik was a stubborn bastard and had said as much. And apparently the job called for those special gifts of his. Stubbornness and fucking awful manners (Logan's words, not his, though Erik wasn't going to argue with the truth).
Walking through the old mansion, Erik took stock of what he saw, and more importantly, what he didn't. At least with his own eyes. The mansion looked stuffy and old, old money, old antique furniture and fucking ugly portraits lining the walls.
However, he didn't miss the hum of tech underneath it all. There was definitely a security system, and Erik was about 98.5 percent sure that he'd been scanned before even walking through the main entrance.
Not bad, but he'd have to see the full specs to make sure that they were up to date.
He hadn't really taken Logan's call seriously until the man had sent him some of the threats that had made him call Erik in the first place. The threats had turned his stomach and when he'd seen some of the groups it had come from, he knew he had to take the job.
Friends of Humanity. The scum of the fucking Earth was what they were. He'd heard their hate speeches more than once on the news, on the internet, when they'd picketed events around the US. And he'd unfortunately seen branches of it growing in Europe, in Asia and in Africa when he'd travelled there. So far Australia hadn't been hit, but that was probably more dumb luck than anything else.
And he'd had a bit of a surprise when he'd seen the name of his new employer. He hadn't come across that name for a few years. It had used to be synonymous with the mutant rights cause, with the rights movement for decades. And then there'd been the attack that had killed Brian Xavier and injured his son.
The place made sense now. The old money, the high-tech hidden under old panels and wooden floors.
And because Erik had been travelling, he hadn't been aware of Xavier's son being back in the States. He had to wonder just why he was there, but then again, Erik wouldn't be paid for asking that sort of questions. He just had to make sure the young man was kept safe.
How Raven Darkholme was Charles Xavier's sister, he had no idea, but if Logan would vouch for the man, Erik wasn't going to turn down a well-paid job - especially not one that would allow him to throw a spanner in the works for the FoH.
He stopped at the door of the study he'd been told to go to, raised his hand and was about to knock when he heard raised voices from inside. He stepped back quickly as the door was pulled open.
Two young men stepped out, one blond, the other brunette - both pretty buff, but very young - at least to Erik. One was wearing red tinted glasses and they both looked annoyed as hell about something.
The blond stopped in front of him, eyed Erik critically. "You the one Logan sent?"
Erik raised an eyebrow and gave him a once over before nodding.
The once over was returned and apparently the guy was impressed enough to just shrug and tilt his head towards the now open door. "Maybe you can talk some sense into the idiot's head, because he's not listening to neither me, nor Scotty," he explained with a quick tilt to the guy with the glasses. "And god knows he needs some sense kicked into him."
Scotty opened his mouth to say something, then shut it - both guys seemed to straighten up and share a look before the blond shrugged. "Good luck."
Erik stared after them for a moment. Darkholme and Logan hadn't mentioned what other people might be in the mansion, and the boys didn't look like housekeeping staff. Just for kicks, Erik imagined the blond one in a french maid's outfit, just because he could.
A choked off laugh pulled his attention back to the open door.
"Come in, Mr. Lehnsherr and I am sorry, I did not mean to pick that up, but I had to check the unfamiliar mind approaching." The voice was soft and inviting, but there was definitely something underneath it, something hard and experienced. "Unlike what everyone around me seem to think, I can take care of myself."
Erik didn't even bother hiding the snort as he stepped through the door and pushed it shut with a nudge of his gift.
"How magnificent," Xavier said, from his seat behind the desk.
Erik took it all in - quick as always, assessing the situation, the location, the exits, the weak points, the strong points…
Strong reinforced wall behind the desk, no windows except off to the sides, no direct line of fire to the desk and its occupant. Erik approved.
"I am glad that my lodging meets with your approval," Xavier said lazily, "but I am sorry that between my sister and Logan, you have been dragged all the way out here to Westchester for no reason at all."
"I wouldn't say that," Erik replied, still looking around. And he was still taking in minute details, but he was also getting a good look at Xavier himself. Not bad, not bad at all. Pretty, dressed in a tight white t-shirt and a pair of well tailored trousers. The wheelchair he was seated in was state of the art, and Erik was pretty sure he could feel more than a few hidden compartments in it as well.
"They seem to think I need a keeper," Xavier said, and this time there was a tightness to his voice that Erik hadn't heard a moment earlier. He gestured for Erik to take a set in front of the desk. "Even Alex and Scott agree on it, and although I am glad to see them agree on anything, I would rather it not be on the issue of me needing help."
Erik figured that the Alex and Scott mentioned were the two young men he'd met on the way in. "Far be it for me to say that you can't take care of yourself," Erik said slowly. He had to play his cards right on this one. He kept his mind quiet and calm, not because he feared a telepath like Xavier, but because it was how his mind worked and how he worked best. "However, judging from the threats you have received, we share a ...foe."
Xavier frowned, which only made him cuter and Erik lamented the fact that if he was to take care of this job, and shouldn't act on it. The cut, muscular chest and arms were definitely inviting and the guy was easy on the eyes overall.
The frown eased, replaced by a flush of Xavier's cheeks.
Erik grinned and winked at him. Served the kid right for rummaging around inside his head. "Your sister didn't say much about why the Friends of Humanity want to see you dead - apart from the obvious, that you're a mutant."
Xavier sighed deeply. "I want to start a school, an academy for our kind. Too many children grow up ostracized for their powers, some for their looks - some struggle to control their gifts, afraid they might hurt themselves or worse; others."
Erik leaned back in his seat. This hadn't been part of the briefing and it definitely grabbed his attention. His own childhood and learning curve had been colored greatly by trial and error - not to mention his less than lucky run-in with Sebastian Shaw. Whose death had, accidentally, taught Erik that he could take a life and live with it, if he had to.
"So, you think your sister, and Logan, are being overly careful, not to mention overprotective," Erik said slowly, already working on what needed to be done around the place to make it safe for children. It would be a security nightmare to figure out, but not impossible. Not impossible at all.
Xavier's eyes widened. "You are a bit of a menace, aren't you?"
Erik rolled his eyes. "You don't need a keeper," he argued. "But you can't do it alone."
"I am not on my own," Xavier said sourly, for a second or two looking like a pouting child.
"You have potential teachers, you have potential students," Erik guessed. "But you're not a fool; you know that you'll need general security, that you'll need people who can help protect the kids."
"They are simply flimsy threats made by delusional people, who probably won't carry them out," Xavier argued. "And I can sense hostility a long way off."
"It won't necessarily be enough," Erik said slowly. "What if you're not here? You won't be here 24/7."
"I'm sure you're overqualified for playing nanny to a school of youngsters," Xavier said with a half-defeated air.
Erik grinned. He knew the scent of victory. "I don't mind - I never did give my mother the grand children she wanted, and with my preferences…" Erik stretched his legs out and this time he did nothing to hide his appreciation of his possible new employer. "I'm not seeing any in the near future- doesn't mean I don't like kids."
Xavier rolled his eyes, which Erik took as a good sign. He hadn't been lying and while he'd been all over the world with his jobs over the years, he wasn't averse to staying in one place for a longer time. To tell the truth, he was intrigued by Xavier and wouldn't mind getting to know him.
Xavier's face flushed again. "If we hire you, it will be on my terms and not those of my sister's or Logan's."
Erik nodded. "But I want a clause in there that says I'm allowed to call you on it if I think you're talking shit and should know better."
"In general or security wise?" Xavier asked, but there was less of a bite in his voice and more like his interest had been piqued. Which made Erik grin.
"For the job; security related, but if I am to work for you, you and I will have to get very well acquainted."
"Will we now?" Xavier all but purred. "And what makes you think that I lean that way?" he added, leaning forward, his elbows on the desk.
Erik just raised an eyebrow. "I'm a very attentive man, Mr. Xavier. I pay attention to the smallest details." He leaned back and stretched a little; watching Xavier's gaze flicker down to where his shirt was riding up a little. He smirked when Xavier's gaze met his again.
Xavier huffed, fighting a grin. "Send me your references, Mr. Lehnsherr. And the clauses you would like to see included in a contract. I'm sure we can come to an agreement."
Erik licked his bottom lip and grinned before straightening up, standing and offering his hand to Xavier. "I'll do that right away and send you the necessary paperwork."
Another huff and Xavier took his hand and shook it. "I'll be looking forward to it, Mr. Lehnsherr."
They held on for a moment longer and when they finally let go and Erik left the office, he may have been able to keep his appreciating under wraps. but on the inside, he was really looking forward to his new job. Security at a school. It sounded so droll compared to his usual jobs, but he had to admit that with the kind of threats that had been issued at Xavier and with his own luck for attracting trouble - combined with a school full of mutant kids… Yeah, it was most definitely not going to be a boring job.